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Tur·key

(tûrkē)

A country of southwest Asia and southeast Europe between the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. The region was dominated by many ancient civilizations and peoples, among them the Hittites (1800 BC), the Greeks (8th century BC), and the Persians (6th century BC), and in AD 395 it became part of the Byzantine Empire. The area was conquered by the Ottoman Turks between the 13th and 15th centuries and remained the core of the Ottoman Empire for more than 600 years. Its modern history dates to the rise of the Young Turks (after 1908) and the collapse of the empire in 1918. Under the leadership of Kemal Atatürk, a republic was proclaimed in 1923. Ankara is the capital and Istanbul the largest city.

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Turkey

tur·key

(tûrkē)

n. pl. tur·keys

a. A large North American bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that has brownish plumage and a bare wattled head and neck and is widely domesticated for food.

b. The flesh of this bird, used as food.

2. A related bird (Meleagris ocellata syn. Agriocharis ocellata) of Mexico and Central America, brilliantly colored and having eyelike spots on its tail.

3. Informal

a. A person considered inept or undesirable.

b. A failure, especially a failed theatrical production or movie.

4. Sports Three consecutive strikes in bowling.

Idiom:

talk turkeyInformal

To speak frankly about the basic facts of a matter.

[After Turkey, from a confusion with the guinea fowl, once believed to have originated in Turkish territory.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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